I have often seen Pomegranates in the store, but never knew what to do with them.
I recently saw a demonstration on how to get the Arils (the juicy seeds) out of the fruit. The lovely lady demonstrating the method then gave me a sample of granola with vanilla yogurt and pomegranates arils sprinkled on it. I fell in love. I am now a fan of these wonderful fruits.
Pomegranates peak in December and begin to disappear from the stores in January. They will stay fresh in a plastic bag in your refrigerator for up to three months! The seeds, or Arils, will stay fresh in a covered container for up to 10 days.
I was told that when choosing your Pomegranates, you should pick each one up and find the heaviest one. This will be the one with the most arils in it. Each pomegranate can hold around 600 arils! Make sure you look for one with a dark and shiny skin. No cracks!
It is reported that pomegranates are rich in antioxidants and can keep your bad LDL cholestorol from oxidizing. Pomegranate seems to also be good for the heart by improving the amount of oxygen getting to the heart muscle of patients with coronary heart disease. Doctors are also excited about the possibility that pomegranates may slow or prevent Prostrate cancer.
Recipe Links:
Rudolph’s Red Nose Cockail from Nosh My Way
Health Benefit Links
During my internet wanderings looking for cocktails I saw a few recipes using pomegranates as part of the cocktail.
You can thank me later for giving you another way for using pomegranates!